Plumage
by sapiens
Summary: Spin off to Birds of a Feather. High school is either the best or worst time of your life. The students of Raira Academy are still figuring it out.


**Happy New Year's! Welcome to Plumage! This is my spin off of Birds of a Feathers. It will a bunch of semi-related one shots in which Corvi has grown up in or moved to Japan at a young age. It's a way for me to flesh out and grow her character. My other story isn't required reading but I would definitely love it if you would check it out. **

The first day of school is unlike any other. An air of unease, anxiety and self doubt collects in the mind. Eventually, one just says "Fuck it" and leaves the house but it all comes back during the way to school. There could be something wrong with your uniform. What if you show up at the wrong homeroom? Was that pimple _really_ visible? Did you forget something? There was totally something you forgot, just sitting on your bed- the coffee table- the table next to the door. But what was it? Was it that important then?

It was your lunch. Or your keys. That one book you were instructed to bring on the first day. Yeah, it was important but- Too late! By then, butts are in chairs at homeroom, teachers are taking attendance and lives are seemingly ruined. Oh and the uniform necktie was missing. Great way to start a new school year, right?

"Whatever"

"Oh come on Shizuo, aren't you excited? First day of high school! Well I know I am. Celty even ironed my jacket."

"Whatever"

Shinra pouted at his blonde companion. Nothing thrilled him. He was a stone wall.

"What about meeting new people, huh? Maybe you'll make new friends. You could join a club or-" The bespectacled teen stopped when an eyebrow started to twitch in his direction. Getting his shit kicked in was not the way to start the school year, especially at a new high school. New teachers, new classrooms, new building, same old Shizuo.

"We're in the same class again, you know." No answer, "I'll let you copy my homework if you need to." No answer. Not like Shinra really expected one. Being friends with Shizuo was like being friends with a hungry, cranky bear. They continued on their way in silence until Celty swirved in front of them, effectively cutting off their path. Her phone slid smoothly from her sleeve into her hand and her fingers began diligently typing. After she was done, a shadow was pulled from behind her seat. Shinra, alway glad to see the dullahan, rushed to her side. The shadow was placed firmly against his chest before he could hug her.

_You forgot this._

The black covering dispersed to uncover his simple lunch box.

"Oh Celty!" Shinra's brown eyes shone with admiration, "You really do care! I knew you did." The headless woman wasted no time punching him square in the stomach.

_Shut up. I just didn't want you coming home hungry. You always end up cooking the weirdest things._

This was what Shizuo had to deal with every day of school.

There was something else Shizuo had to deal with every day of school but he would rather not think about it. Most people do not think about insects anyways, unless confronted with them. When you see a fly, you swat it, lest it buzz around annoying the shit out of you. Just thinking of the flea's name made Shizuo grind his teeth. From the first day of school until his dying breath- Correction, Shizuo would hate that pest in the afterlife. Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, it would not matter. Izaya just had a way of pissing him off, of getting under his skin, that simmered his blood.

At least the flea did not sit next to him in class. Though, too close was in the same time zone.

Every pencil or pen Shizuo owned had been completely gnawed to bits by his second week. It was a destructive unconscious habit he had developed ages ago and it did not seem to be going anywhere. Not that it was a big deal or anything. Certainly better than the alternatives. Math was boring, Science was boring. Would it be that bad if he just did not show up for class one day? Shinra could give him notes for class and bring his homework. Was it a bad sign to be only a few days into the school year and not want to go?

There was one particular teacher, always a guy it seemed, always hungry for girls of the high school age. It wasn't like Shizuo cared. That was whoever was in the man's headlights problem, but it was hard not noticing. How he would ghost his fingers over theirs' as he handed back assignments. Or how his hands lingered a little too long on the female students' shoulders. It was awkward to watch and Shizuo imagined it must have been even worse for the subject. It was something to watch from afar until the girl who sat in a different seat every day sat in front of him. Why she decided to play musical chairs, he didn't know or care but her long black wavy hair cascaded down her back and onto of his desk. Thick coal ringlets covered the top of his notebook. His eye twitched when she turned her head to the side and his thin book flung from his desk suddenly. It wasn't enough to piss him completely off but their teacher had taken notice. While the rest of the class was busy with their worksheets, the man had made himself busy hovering over the girl.

"Karasu. You have to be more careful." She looked around, trying to find out what he was talking about until she saw Shizuo reaching for his papers. Her brown hands swiped the notebook from his reach and replaced it on his desk. Shizuo could hear her mumble something, possibly an apology. The anger leaked from his body as he stared at the back of her head. She was avoiding looking at him. Why? He didn't know but for some reason, her apparent shyness was somewhat endearing. The rest of the class was spent trying not to play with the ends of her black curls.

Izaya Orihara loved messing with people. Their reactions were worth the trouble and he especially loved messing with two people in general. Shizuo Hewaijima was technically not a person, more of a beast. And who didn't love poking a lion when it's trapped in a cage?

"I heard Shizu-chan has a crush." Like a dog, the beast's ears pricked up upon hearing Izaya's voice and his name. Of course he had heard. Even seated halfway across the roof, the animal could hear Izaya. It was almost amazing. Shinra's head turned in his direction. It was a daily occurrence; Izaya would sit, eat his lunch on the other side of the roof and talk serious shit. No one took the bait this time though and his statement was left with no responses. Izaya's attention was switched to another.

"Hmm... Karasu-chan? What's your first name anyways?" The girl from their class was seated a few feet away. Her head turned away as she stared out at the sky and city buildings. She was obviously uncomfortable with him and Izaya loved it.

"Doesn't your father own a liquor company? You must be pretty rich. So then, why are you here at Raira? Did you flunk out of your posh private school? Hmm? Or maybe-" He paused to watch her reaction. Her hands were clenched tightly into fists and the part of her jaw that was not obstructed by her thick black hair was set ridge.

"I heard you have a thing for older men. Like say teacher old."

If anyone was still talking, they immediately stopped as the girl stood. Izaya's eyes flickered down and a cheshire smirk grew on his face, "My, my. What a short skirt. All the better to get noticed with, right. I bet-" He was unable to finish. The wooden bench burst into splintering shards under her kick.

Sure, she had missed. It was never her intent to hit Izaya, her movements were telegraphed and he was too fast anyways. The kids at her old school only needed one display and then they were set straight.

"Oh. I see now. You're a juvenile delinquent. Can't say I didn't see that coming." His pocket knife was already out as he used it to clean under his fingernails, "You got pregnant and he sent you away, huh? Your older man is probably married."

It was at that moment, she decided she would always hate this guy.

Shizuo ignored the special treatment the new girl was getting from their teacher as best as he could. Turned out, his best was pretty weak. She was asked to stay after class to go over her English homework. The next day, he caught the man talking to her outside after school. There must have been something to do with the length of her skirt because she kept tugging it down. Shizuo was never one to stare but that skirt was _really_ short. He even caught himself gazing at her legs a few times. It probably had something to do with her height, she was taller than the rest of the girls in their class and probably only a few inches shorter than he.

"Heeey. Isn't that the new girl?" Rumors were buzzing and Shinra had been taking them all in, "Wanna ask her if she really is a succubus?" As much as Shizuo wanted to reply with, "Sure. Go ahead," he did not really want to pick a fight. They walked home in silence, the girl only half a block in front of them. She stopped suddenly, as did they, and turned to face them.

"You followin' me?" Yes and no. It was their normal route, she just happened to be on it. Her honey brown fists were already clenched and her teeth gritted. Whatever had occurred earlier must have been still pissing her off. Shinra threw his hands up, palms open and smiled, "N-no. Just walking home." By the look on her face, she wasn't buying it, "Fucking creepers."

"Wait! We're not- We walk this way everyday!" She snorted in annoyance as her eyes turned to Shizuo. He gave her the same look he gave everyone that had yet to irritate him, a blank stare. When she noticed she was chasing away possible friends, her eyes softened bit by bit and her jaw loosened.

"Corvi," It may have been only one word but it was enough. A smile crept onto Shinra's face as he introduced himself and his blonde companion.

Shizuo glanced over at Corvi. She had been attached to him and Shinra since the day she introduced herself. It was nice, having someone like him around. They never spoke of their tempers or rage fueled strength. It was enough knowing someone else was out there and even better knowing they were friends. They shared the same type of humor too. Corvi had not switched her seat the next day like she had before so she would whisper a joke or pass back a piece of paper to him in class. He would chuckle and get in trouble. Their teacher always had an eye on them. Any method was used to keep them apart. It never worked though. Her thick black head of hair always popped into detention to keep him company.

His attention turned to her lunch, the box sat squarely in her lap, filled to the brim with food. She had admitted to having no knowledge of cooking. Everything was made by one of her younger sisters, who she had called "the chef", or was store bought. Directly under the lunch box, her coal skirt, or what she called a skirt, had ridden up and was showing a generous amount of thigh.

Now, that was what complicated things. Corvi was his friend and he was a typical teenaged boy. How could he not avoid her obvious attractiveness? It was in his face, all day, every day. It was impossible to not notice how short her skirt was or the slight jiggle of her ample chest as she walked. How big were those things anyways? Didn't matter, he wanted to bury his face in them.

And so did Izaya, apparently.

The younger boy had a preoccupation with undressing her in public. Every time he picked a fight with Corvi, his knife would pop open or off some article of clothing and leave her exposed. Last time, it was her black school uniform blazer and dress shirt. The time before, her skirt was cut in two. Shizuo learned that she liked lace pretty fast.

What was Izaya's excuse?

It was his right. Corvi would be his wife someday.

To which she replied, "Like fucking hell, maggot."


End file.
